A retired Principal District Judge, who had acquitted Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudy and his wife from a disproportionate assets case, has urged the Madras High Court to expunge the adverse remarks made by the court against her while taking up a suo motu revision against the acquittal.
N. Vasanthaleela, who retired from service on June 30, 2023 after delivering the verdict on June 28, 2023, has told the High Court that the “unwarranted, unjustifiable and disparaging” remarks had harmed her reputation and 28 years of unblemished service in the district judiciary of the State. In a communication addressed to the High Court’s Registrar General, she said the High Court had on August 10, 2023 taken up a suo motu revision against the acquittal order passed by her. Giving reasons for the suo motu action, the court had made certain remarks against her.
The remarks, which she wanted expunged, were: “By June 6, 2023, a case which had thus far been lingering on for years started to move with great alacrity. Perhaps, the accused drew inspiration from Paulo Coelho, who said that when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it....”
“By the first week of June 2023, the celestial stars of the accused appeared to be lining up perfectly with the blessings of judicial personages, including the Principal District Judge, Vellore, who was set to demit office on June 30, 2023. Defence Witness-1 was quickly examined on the side of the defense on June 6, 2023... On June 23, 2023, written submissions were made on the side of the accused and on June 28, 2023 i.e., within four days, the Principal District Judge, Vellore marshalled the evidence of 172 prosecution witnesses and 381 documents and managed (or rather stage-managed) to deliver a 226-page testament/judgment acquitting all the accused,“ it further said.
“This unique feat on the part of the Principal District Judge, Vellore can find few parallels, and it may well be said this is a feat that even judicial mortals in constitutional courts can only dream of. Two days thereafter, on June 30, 2023, the Principal District Judge, Vellore retired and cheerfully rode off into the sunset,” it added.
Pointing out that 90% of the trial in the disproportionate assets case had concluded before the Villupuram Principal District Court itself before it was transferred to Vellore, Ms. Vasanthaleela said only 10% of the trial proceedings were held before her in accordance with the High Court’s 2022 directive to complete it expeditiously.
She further claimed to have taken ten days to dictate the judgment after the completion of the oral arguments on June 19, 2023, and denied the charge of having prepared the judgment within four days after the submission of written arguments.
